Marc Marquez has spoken about signing with the manufacturing facility Ducati MotoGP staff for 2025 for the primary time publicly forward of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Following the Italian GP three weeks in the past, Ducati introduced that it had signed the eight-time world champion to its factory team for 2025 – going in opposition to its authentic choice to advertise Jorge Martin from Pramac.
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Forward of the Dutch GP at Assen, Marquez spoke of the build-up to Ducati’s announcement, which acts as one thing of a full circle second within the 31-year-old’s MotoGP profession.
Forward of the Dutch GP 12 months in the past, Marquez had simply come from a German GP weekend in which he crashed five times and withdrew from Sunday’s race following a warm-up spill that left him injured.
That second got here amid a torrid run for Marquez on the Honda through which its lack of competitiveness led him to repeatedly crash out of races, and resulted in critical questions on his future.
Talking on Thursday on the 2024 Dutch GP, Marquez admitted he was considering retiring finally yr’s Assen spherical earlier than the potential for becoming a member of Gresini Ducati started to emerge.
That second finally led to his transfer to the manufacturing facility Ducati squad for 2025, having scored eight podiums in whole within the first seven rounds of the present marketing campaign.
“I’m tremendous pleased and I’m very grateful to Ducati Corse to decide on me as team-mate to Pecco [Bagnaia], particularly as a result of one yr in the past right here I used to be tremendous near saying ‘Okay, that is the tip of my profession’,” Marquez mentioned on Thursday at Assen.
“However fortunately it was the summer season break, I recharged the batteries, I recharged my physique and from that time I made a decision one other method.
“In that call, after all due to Honda on the identical time as a result of they understood completely my state of affairs and allowed me to go to the Gresini staff.
“Within the Gresini staff, I really feel instantly – and I perceive that the bike was able to have that confidence once more – the environment of that staff was one of the best one to resume a rider that was ultimately misplaced.
“So, from that time I attempted to do my finest and I used to be one of many contenders for that Ducati official bike, and already that was a pleasure.
“On Sunday night time after Mugello they knowledgeable me that they determined that I would be the rider. In two days we closed the contract and on the Wednesday we introduced it.”
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
On the run as much as the Italian GP, which Ducati had earmarked because the deadline for its manufacturing facility seat choice, Marquez had spoken quite a few occasions in regards to the “plan” he had for his future.
When requested if the manufacturing facility seat was his plan all alongside, Marquez – who publicly rejected a move to Pramac – insists it was both that or remaining at Gresini on a works bike.
“In my staff, or round my staff, nothing modified,” he added.
“We had the identical data from Le Mans to Montmelo to Mugello. They had been considering to take the choice, Wednesday in Mugello they had been nonetheless considering and I used to be snug.
“I used to be very clear and sincere about what I wished. I wished the most recent bike in Gresini staff or the official staff.
“They selected me for the official staff, so I’m even happier. The goal of a rider is to be within the official staff and to journey in crimson subsequent yr is a pleasure, and I’ll attempt to defend the colors within the most method and with the most important effort.”
Marquez says he has not been advised who his crew will probably be for 2025, apart from the tyre technician he introduced from Honda to Gresini – Javi Ortiz – coming with him.
At current, it’s unclear if he’ll proceed working with Frankie Carchedi as crew chief, change to present Enea Bastianini crew chief Marco Rigamonti or reunite with Santi Hernandez.
Marquez’s insistence to solely decide to a single yr with Gresini upon leaving Honda meant he couldn’t carry long-time crew chief Hernandez with him, out of fears he may doubtlessly stroll to a rival producer with important data in 2025.